Passage Reading: GATE Mechanical 2022 Set 2 | GA Question: 6
Fish belonging to species S in the deep sea have skins that are extremely black (ultra-black skin). This helps them not only to avoid predators but also sneakily attack their prey. However, having this extra layer of black pigment results in lower collagen on their skin, making their skin more fragile.
Which one of the following is the CORRECT logical inference based on the information in the above passage?
A. Having ultra-black skin is advantageous to species S.
B. Species S with lower collagen in their skin are at an advantage because it helps them avoid predators.
C. Having ultra-black skin has advantages and disadvantages for species S.
D. Having ultra-black skin is a great disadvantage to species S but advantageous only to their predators.
GATE 2022 · General Aptitude · Passage Reading · medium
Answer: Option C is correct: having ultra-black skin has both advantages (avoiding predators, attacking prey) and disadvantages (reduced collagen, more fragile skin) for species S.
Extract explicit claims from the passage: Claim 1 (Advantage): Ultra-black skin helps species S avoid predators AND sneakily attack prey. Claim 2 (Disadvantage): The extra pigment layer results in lower collagen, making skin more fragile.
Test each option: A — 'only advantageous': ignores the collagen/fragility disadvantage; too one-sided. B — 'lower collagen is an advantage': directly contradicts the passage, which calls it a weakness. C — 'advantages and disadvantages': matches both claims from Step 1 perfectly. D — 'great disadvantage, beneficial only to predators': contradicts the clear predator-avoidance benefit stated in the passage.